Guards: Curry, Harden, Lillard, Thompson, DeRozan
Forwards: Durant, Leonard, George, Harrison Barnes
Centers: Drummond, Green, Myles Turner
The twelve-man roster glittered with stars, and more importantly, this marked George's return to representing the USA Team after the severe injury he had suffered with the national team last time.
"That was an accident, and it won't happen again. I look forward to bringing a world championship back for the USA Team."
George said this during an interview before departing.
His words greatly lifted the USA Team's morale and set American fans' blood racing.
George's participation was not merely a display of the USA Team's strength, but also an embodiment of the patriotic education they had always promoted.
It was no exaggeration to say that this USA Team might not have been the strongest in history, but the public's attention and expectations for them were at an all-time high.
More than ever, they hoped the national team would reclaim the world championship and restore the Dream Team's glory.
But American fans were far from the only ones with such expectations. Looking at the World Cup rosters of every country, they all felt the same way.
Although this was only the World Cup, its star power was in no way inferior to the Olympics.
Part of the reason was that the USA Team had lost the 2016 Olympics, part was Tang Tian's retirement, and part was because FIBA had moved the World Cup up to August.
With all these factors combined, this World Cup generated far more buzz than the first one in Spain.
On August 15, BJ Time, the Men's Basketball World Cup officially opened at Water Cube Stadium.
Kung fu superstar Jackie Chan, world-class pianist Lang Lang, and numerous other celebrities performed at the opening ceremony.
FIBA officials and representatives from